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Anenih calls for entrenchment of women’s rights into various institutions

Published

6 years ago

July 22, 2019

The Former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Josephine Anenih has called on the education sector, security organisations, media, lawmakers, among others to begin to entrench the rights of women into the institutions thay represent.

Anenih was speaking at the official launch of Women’s Voice and Leadership-Nigeria Project in Abuja on Monday.

The programme which was organised by ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) in collaboration with the Global Affairs Canada was aimed at supporting the capacity and activities of local and national women’s organisations while achieving gender equality.

Anenih noted that the launch of the project would have ripple effect of the gains in projecting the voices of the marginalised in the society.

“There is so much that needs to be done to bridge the gender equality gaps in all spheres of life and work in our nation.

“The increased incidences of discrimination against women is alarming. As a former minister, it grieves me that the number of women representations in the high levels of leadership is decreasing instead of increasing as one would expect in the times we are in.

“This is the time when much more women should be in places of leadership, projecting the voices of those they represent and fighting for their causes.”

She, therefore, charged AAN to put its best in ensuring that the overall goal of the project was achieved.

Meanwhile, Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director, AAN said that women were disproportionately disadvantaged in all spheres of life despite Nigeria being committed to advancing gender equality with seemingly enabling policy landscape.

Obi noted that gender discrimination was still woven through legal and social norms in the country saying that inequality, poverty and violence is evidenced in the increased reporting of related incidences of discrimination against women and girls in the country.

” These issues have continued to trail us, and therefore, ActionAid Nigeria continues to work to achieving social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication.

” We connect the work we do at the community level with broader efforts and struggles for justice at every level to make the greatest contribution towards a just, equitable and sustainable world.

” This project is aimed at contributing to equality between women and men to strengthen the empowerment and fulfilment of the rights of women and girls.”

Ene stressed on the need for women to ensure social mobilisation of their constituency to stand up to the development challenges facing the nation.

She, however, charged women leaders to re-commit themselves to the emancipation and empowerment of Nigerian women and girls.

Also, Mrs Sonia Warner, UK Department for International Development said it would take Nigeria 170 years to close the gender gaps while calling for drastic actions to empower women in the society.

Warner noted that the UK government had been supporting women and would continue to support them to bridge the gaps.

Similarly, Mrs Amina Salihu from the MacArthur Foundation said it was worrisome that Nigeria still have over 10 million children out of school.

She said it was time the country begin to define what it meant to win while also paying attention on how we raise our children.

Mrs Suwaiba Yakubu-Jibrin, Head of Programme AAN, who spoke on the overview of the project, said the Global Affairs Canada would be funding the project with N2.6 billion which would be for a period of five years and administered by AAN.

She added that the project which also targeted 100 local women rights organisations across the six geopolitical zones in the country.

She said these include: 72 from community based organisations, 10 from local women rights network and 18 from local women residence officers at state levels.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that six states such as Bauchi, Enugu, Kebbi, Cross River, Lagos and Kwara state are the pilot states of the project.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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